Finding Your Roots - Season 11

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family trees of talk show host Joy Behar and actor Michael Imperioli--two Americans whose roots stretch back to small towns in Calabria, Italy. Joy and Michael's families lived in these towns for centuries, but their stories were lost on the journey to America. Gates reveals the challenges that their ancestors faced--and overcame--on both sides of the Atlantic.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of two award-winning writers: novelist Amy Tan and poet Rita Dove, tracing lineages that run from a plantation in Maryland to a speakeasy in Washington, DC to a village in central China. Along the way, Amy and Rita reimagine themselves as they learn the true stories of the people who laid the groundwork for their success--and inspired their art.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actor Sharon Stone and model Chrissy Teigen--two stars who found fame when they were young and lived much of their lives in the limelight, knowing little about their roots. Gates reveals they aren't the first people in their families who dared to dream big, tracing lineages from Eastern Europe to Medieval France to rural Thailand.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family trees of celebrity chefs José Andrés and Sean Sherman--two men who have combined culinary skills with profound humanitarian goals. Traveling from Spain to Native American lands in the Dakotas, Gates explores where these qualities came from, revealing that the ancestors of José and Sean have hidden connections to key moments in history--and to food.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps musician Rubén Blades and journalist Natalie Morales uncover their roots in Latin America, revealing secrets their ancestors went to great lengths to conceal. Traveling from Puerto Rico to Colombia to Brazil, Gates and his guests recover long-lost family stories--meet heroes and villains--and celebrate the virtue of accepting one's relatives, whoever they may be.